Furnace.



D. A. CRAMBR & J. M. HOBEN.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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D. A. GRAMER & J. M. HOBEN.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION PILILD JAN. 15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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WITNESSES DAVID A. CRAIVIER AND JOHN M. I'IOBEN, GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

Application filed. January 15. 1912. Serial No. 671,164.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, DAVID A. CRAMER and JOHN M. HoBnN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Galcsburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have jointly invented a new and useful Furnace, of which the followingis a specification.

Our invention relates to furnaces and oarticularly to that general class thereof in which the grates are in the nature of traveling endless belts.

Among the main objects of the invention is to economize in the amount of fuel consumed in order to produce a given amount of heat.

In grates or grate mechanisms of ordinary construction much of the time of the fireman is devoted to cleaning the grate. An object of this invention is to provide a grate which is of such nature and construction that cleaning or raking will be practically unnecessary.

To provide a furnace in which practically all the gas and smoke will be consumed thereby aiding in consummating the first recited object-is an object.

To provide a novel grate per 86, which is especially adapted for the general purpose of the invention, is an object.

To provide simple and efficient means whereby the grate may be operated at will is a further object.

It is an object to provide novel means at the rear end of the grate which performs the twofold function of preventing a counter current of air entering into the combustion chamber. or fire-box and interfering with either the fire or the draft and of aiding in dislodging from the grate bars any ashes or cinders which may have become attached thereto.

The grates of automatic stokers necessitate a particular kind of fuel for successful operation.

It is an object of our invention to provide a traveling grate which will produce perfect results with any kind of solid fuel.

Therefore, the principal end and object is to generally improve the construction and increase the capacity, utility and efficiency of this character of devices.

Minor objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out. 1

To the attainment of the foregoing ends and objects the invention consists in the novel construction, certain novel combinaplan, partly in section, of the link; Fig. 4, a

side elevation, partly in longitudinal sec tion; Fig. 5, a front elevation, partly in sec tion; Fig. 6, a perspective of one of the grate-sections; and Fig. 7, an enlarged end view thereof.

Throughout the several views like parts are identified by like reference characters.

2, 2 designate longitudinally arranged inverted L-shaped or angle iron base-bars, the

vertical portions of which are provided at their forward ends with apertures for the reception of a shaft 3 carrying fixed sprocket-wheels 4 and a cog-wheel 5 by which said shaft and wheels are actuated. Near the rear ends of the vertical portions of the bars 2 are apertures in which are seated a shaft or rod 14: carrying idlers 6.

6 designates a transverse base-bar.

7 indicates the front wall, provided with fuel openings 8, one only of which is shown.

9, 9 are frame-plates, each provided with a notch 10, in which notches rest the ends of transverse rail-supporting bars 11. Rails 12, suitably seated and held from displacement by cutaway portions providing shoulders, as indicated at 13, or held in any other suitable manner, rest upon the bars 11 and provide a support over which the upper flight of the endless grate hereinafter described may travel.

The bars 11 may be removed by lifting them from the notches 10, and the rails 12 by lifting them from the restraining shoulders 13.

An actuating shaft 15 is mounted in cars 16 fixed to the front wall 7 and at one end carries a fixed cog-wheel 17 meshing with the wheel 5. A ratchet wheel 19 is fixed midlength of the shaft 15 and is adapted for intermittent actuations by a dog 20 pivoted to any suitable ratchet lever 21.

Each grate-section 22 shown comprises spaced longitudinal bars 23, transverse intermediate bars 24 providing an arch 25, transverse projections 26, and longitudinally disposed studs 27 provided each with a boss 329. The several grate-sections are connected 1 by links 30, each provided at its inner portion with recesses 31 which extend slightly beyond its longitudinal central line and which communicate with transversely arranged apertures 32 extending through the link. Oblong apertures 33 are provided in the bottom of the link and communicate with the recesses 31 and apertures 32. To assemble the sections 22 one of the studs 27 and bosses 29 is slipped into a recess 32 and the boss turned to rest in the aperture 38, the lower wall of which aperture will restrain it (the link) from outward movement with relation to the boss 29. The outer end of the stud 27 will rest in the aperture 32. The proximal stud and boss of an adjacent section 22 is then likewise connected with the link and like processes proceeded with until counter currents of air from entering either the ash pit or fire-box and in any manner interfering with the draft or the combustion, and which further automatically acts to scrape off any adhering cinders which may have adhered to or been caught in or be tween the gratebars or sections. A keeper 3% is suitably fixed, as by screw-bolts 35, to each bar 2. A rod 36 is seated in the eyes of each keeper. One section, 87, of a gravity-actuated swinging hood is provided with lugs 39, the eyes of which loosely receive the rod 36. of the hood extends in close proximity to that portion of the belt-like grate which is embracing the idlers, and the lower section, 41, is arcuate and concentric to said rod, whereby its lowermost portion will be at all times almost in contact with the surface above which it swings, thus preventing drafts of air from entering from behind. The sections above designated by numerals, as also a connecting section 42, are preferably lap-j ointed and riveted as shown, for convenience in manufacture.

We now proceed to a description of the operation: A fire being on the grate, if a sufli; cient amount of air is not being furnished, the operator will impart intermittent reciprocations to the lever 21 to impart movement to the ratchet-wheel 19, shaft 15, geared wheels 17, 5, shaft 3 and sprocket-wheel 4. The teeth of the latter will contact the bars 23 and drive forward to the predetermined position the upper flight of the assembled grate. The rear portion of the fire will by this operation have been dumped into the ash-pit-the clinging or adhering cinders, if any, having been scraped off by the forward edge of the hood section 10. The operator will then draw forwardly a small amount of the live coals and thereon add fresh fuel. The smoke of the newly built fire will, be-

The forward section, 40,

cause of the draft, have a tendency to pass to and over the live fire at the (then) rear portion of the grate, and will be consumed thereby, thus eli'ecting not only economy of fuel but obviating also the objectionable smoke discharge. It will be evident that while the rear tire is exhausting itself the forward one is growing into life, and that by the time the first is practically dead, the other has reached a state of perfect combustion, whereby an approximately egual degree of heat may at all times be maintained in the fire-box. The rear fire constitutes what corresponds to the bridge wall of an ordinary furnace and none is required when our improvements are used.

It is necessary to drag or rake ordinary furnaces through the feed doors. The operation requires a considerable length of time, and the consequence is that cold air inrushing through the open door, over the live coals, will check the fire and cool the exposed boiler surface.

Dumped coals, with our construction, will not lie in contact with, to heat and burn out the lower flight of the grate, for the forward motion thereof will drag said coalsfree from contact therewith.

It has been thought neither necessary nor best to encumber this specification and the accompanying drawings with descriptions and illustrations of modifications or of elements or parts which are neither essential to nor form any part of the inventionherein claimed. In fact, it is apparent without such, that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction and by modifications involving only mechanical skill, without departing from the spirit, scope, and general idea of the invention.

Therefore, without limiting ourselves to particularities or to the precise construction shown, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following, towit:

1. A furnace comprising longitudinally arranged L-shaped base-bars, an idler shaft seated in bearings in the vertical webs thereof, idlers on said shaft, a driving shaft seated in other hearings in said vertical webs, sprocket wheels fixed thereon, oscillatory means for imparting rotatory movements to said driving shaft, an endless grate embracing said idlers and sprocket wheels and actuated by the latter, removable track-rails supporting the upper flight of the grate, removable transverse bars supporting said rails, plates secured to the base-bars and removably supporting said transverse bars, and a swinging hood pivoted to the rear portions of said base-bars and in rear of said grate, its upper end being in close relation thereto.

2. A traveling grate comprising grate sections, each section comprising spaced longitudinally arranged bars, transversely arranged barsintermediate said bars, and pro viding an arch and each section having studs provided each With a boss, and a link eon necting the adjacent ends of each pair of sections, each of said links provided at its inner portion with recesses which extend beyond its longitudinal central line and which communicate With apertures extending through the link, each link provided also With an aperture which communicates with a recess and an aperture above recited, each of said studs adapted to enter one of the first recited apertures and each of said bosses Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

adapted to enter one of said recesses and to be turned into one of the second recited aper- DAVID A. ORAMER. JOHN M. HOBEN;

Witnesses:

H. M. LICI-IANZ, O. S. RICHARDS.

Washington, D. 0. 

